I don't know how accurate the breakdown on this website is. It has us at about 101M meaning we'd have $19M to spend. On the NFC North Blog on ESPN, it showed us at 122M meaning we're over the projected cap of $120M.

Anybody out there have any answers on this?

February 20th, 2012, 2:36 pm

m2karateman

RIP Killer

Joined: October 20th, 2004, 4:16 pmPosts: 10136Location: Where ever I'm at now

Re: Cap Space

I would venture to say that the ESPN numbers are wrong, as I've seen various sites that talk about the Lions having about $11M of cap space currently. However, that is without Avril, Tulloch, Backus, Wright, Hill, Stanton and a number of other players not under contract. Tom Lewand is going to have to get some deals redone to clear some space. Also, we'll probably see some players cut, like Corey Williams and perhaps even Nate Burleson, if they don't agree to pay cuts. If the Lions can ink Calvin to a new deal that lowers his cap number, that would help as well.

_________________I will not put on blinders when it comes to our QBs performances.

To be honest, I actually have no idea this time around. I've seen everything from $20M under to $2M over, so it's clear that most people don't know what they're talking about either. But, if I were to guess, I'd say they are about $4-5M under the cap right now. However, that will change before free agency begins because of tenders, extensions, cuts, and renegotiations.

_________________

February 21st, 2012, 5:55 pm

wjb21ndtown

Re: Cap Space

slybri19 wrote:

To be honest, I actually have no idea this time around. I've seen everything from $20M under to $2M over, so it's clear that most people don't know what they're talking about either. But, if I were to guess, I'd say they are about $4-5M under the cap right now. However, that will change before free agency begins because of tenders, extensions, cuts, and renegotiations.

So, it's not until FA begins that Backus, Avril, and Co's last years salary comes off of the books and we see the real number?

No, I'm not saying that at all. Any numbers people throw out there now won't include upcoming free agents like Avril or Tulloch. They're already off the books, per se. I'm talking about possibly cutting Corey Williams and saving $5M or extending CJ and gaining millions in cap space for this year. A lot will change before now and March 13th.

In another thread I talked about the cap adjustments that won't take affect until the New League Year begins. That includes CJ's $4.5M bonus, salary escalators for Stafford, Delmas, Cherilus, etc. and the carryover of any cap space from last year. If anyone posts an official cap commitment figure before then, it will not include those numbers.

_________________

February 21st, 2012, 6:24 pm

The Legend

Off. Coordinator – Joe Lombardi

Joined: February 11th, 2005, 3:01 pmPosts: 4080Location: WSU

Re: Cap Space

Quote:

Also, we'll probably see some players cut, like Corey Williams and perhaps even Nate Burleson, if they don't agree to pay cuts

burleson wont be cut - his contract was something like 5/25 mill w around 10 mill signing bonus. if i understand things correctly that would mean that the remaining prorated portion of his signing bonus, 6 million, would count on this season's cap if he was cut. basically would cost more vs the cap if he was cut than if he remained on. not to mention that he is a team leader and is linehan's idea of an ideal no 2 wr.

As I mentioned in another thread, I believe Burleson received a roster bonus instead of a signing bonus during the uncapped year, so there is no proration from that. However, it looks like he did a simple restructure in the middle of last season, so he would now have a small proration of $270K per year or something like that. I am not positive of this though.

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February 22nd, 2012, 1:43 am

thelomasbrowns

Pro Bowl Player

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2539

Re: Cap Space

I saw Cullen Jenkins restructured his contract in Philly to make it less this year but longer in duration. Might be a good idea to try something like that with C. Williams.

_________________Jim Caldwell, on whether Jim Harbaugh is stealing his thunder: "Me? I don't have any thunder."

February 22nd, 2012, 12:51 pm

Boz

Varsity Captain

Joined: September 28th, 2011, 5:57 pmPosts: 325

Re: Cap Space

Sly, I know it's alot of work, and you may have already done this but, is there any way we could get a list that shows the cap hit for our players currently under contract?

That and the hit we would take if they were cut?

As I said it's alot of work so if you could tell me where to find this info I'll go looking for it.

Can't remember where, but I read that the official cap mumber will be given to the teams in the next 10 days.

Sly, I know it's alot of work, and you may have already done this but, is there any way we could get a list that shows the cap hit for our players currently under contract?

That and the hit we would take if they were cut?

As I said it's alot of work so if you could tell me where to find this info I'll go looking for it.

Can't remember where, but I read that the official cap mumber will be given to the teams in the next 10 days.

That's mighty nice of the league to do that. Especially since teams have to decide who or if anyone on their team will get Franchised. Plus the corresponding cuts that have to be done to make franchising that player possible. Picture this, Team X franchises Player A. To make room for Player A's franchise tag, ( because they have to assume at this point, a flat cap, and hope that it doesn't actually shrink), they cut players B,C,and D. ( All by Monday)

Well the NFL comes along 10 days from now and says the cap grew by $10 Million. Does team X now go back to players B,C, and D and say that they were just kidding?

All the players I have bolded above the Lions either need to cut or renegotiate with. I mean, we're paying Will Heller almost $1.2M as a third TE. I think we can sign a UDFA TE for a minimal contract and allow Heller to go. I like the guy, but I hate seeing that much money spent on the third guy on the depth chart. Spievey shouldn't get paid. Cut him and save a half a million. And now I see why the Lions are trying to trade Alfonso Smith. I wouldn't pay him that bonus. They'll end up cutting him. Matt, Calvin and Ndamukong will all likely get their cap numbers reduced either by a new deal (Calvin) or some bookkeeping wizardry to take part of their salaries and convert them to bonus money, like they did last year. Do that with Stafford and Suh. Cut Corey Williams, cut Stephen Peterman, and tell both Nate and Dominic that they have to either accept paycuts or be released. They shouldn't be making that much money.

_________________I will not put on blinders when it comes to our QBs performances.

March 5th, 2012, 2:13 pm

inheritedlionsfan

Team MVP

Joined: January 13th, 2006, 4:18 amPosts: 3461Location: Maryland

Re: Cap Space

You guys do know the link I posted to start this tread has the breakdown of the cap hits for this year and on the same site you can view future years and individual player contracts.

While we have a moment, let's make sure we're all clear on an important intersection of NFL rules pertaining the salary cap and franchise players.

As ESPN business analyst Andrew Brandt notes, teams can temporarily exceed the league's salary cap limit during this franchise period. Teams do not need to be in cap compliance until the new league year begins March 13.

So it would be wrong for any of us to assume the Detroit Lions had $11 million (or so) in cap space available Monday when they franchised defensive end Cliff Avril. In all likelihood, they'll need to pull a few tricks to get under the cap by next week if Avril hasn't agreed to a long-term deal by then. And the Green Bay Packers wouldn't need to clear $14 million Monday if they make a last-minute decision to franchise quarterback Matt Flynn.

If I contributed to any confusion on this matter, I apologize. Carry on.

_________________

March 6th, 2012, 8:22 am

thelomasbrowns

Pro Bowl Player

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2539

Re: Cap Space

m2karateman wrote:

All the players I have bolded above the Lions either need to cut or renegotiate with. I mean, we're paying Will Heller almost $1.2M as a third TE. I think we can sign a UDFA TE for a minimal contract and allow Heller to go. I like the guy, but I hate seeing that much money spent on the third guy on the depth chart. Spievey shouldn't get paid. Cut him and save a half a million. And now I see why the Lions are trying to trade Alfonso Smith. I wouldn't pay him that bonus. They'll end up cutting him. Matt, Calvin and Ndamukong will all likely get their cap numbers reduced either by a new deal (Calvin) or some bookkeeping wizardry to take part of their salaries and convert them to bonus money, like they did last year. Do that with Stafford and Suh. Cut Corey Williams, cut Stephen Peterman, and tell both Nate and Dominic that they have to either accept paycuts or be released. They shouldn't be making that much money.

Let's not panic. Lewand (and to some extent Mayhew) get paid a lot of money to handle this sort of thing. I'm sure they have a plan for how to deal with it that includes cutting as few starters as possible.

This also brings me back to something I thought of a while back--teams with high picks before the rookie wage scale should get some sort of salary cap waiver for those contracts until they expire--it's ridiculous that we're saddled with all these unavoidable huge contracts after years of being bad. Talk about insult to injury.

_________________Jim Caldwell, on whether Jim Harbaugh is stealing his thunder: "Me? I don't have any thunder."